Seeing Scripture

I saw Scripture this morning. 

Yes, I saw the words of Scripture as I read my Bible, but that's not what I'm talking - er, writing - about.  What I mean is that the words of Scripture became more to me than text on a page because I saw them lived out by my friend.  It was particularly impactful because his actions were directed toward me.

I won't tell you what he did because the details don't matter here, but I will tell you that he gave me hours of his time between his preparation and actually doing what he did.  As my day went on, it really sank in.  It isn't his job to care about me, but he did.  I didn't ask him to think about me, but he did.  Spending his time on me meant that he gave up doing something else, but he did it anyway.

Do you know what it feels like to be treated like that?

I'll tell you: It's amazing!

Three Sundays ago we read these words from the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:

In humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (vv. 3b-4)

I don't naturally live out verse 3 and 4 of Philippians 2.  My tendency is toward pride, to looking to my own interests rather than considering those of others.

But one of the reasons that I've come to love the Scriptures is that in them God gives me an encouraging picture of what life could be like if I lived it his way.  Paul wrote that line as a command to the Christians in Philippi. He wrote like it was something they should actually do, like it was actually possible.

This morning my friend reminded me that it is possible.  My friend and I both know, however, that it's not possible by our own strength or striving.  Maybe for a few minutes or hours or, if we're lucky, days.  At some point, though, we'll default back to ourselves as the center of the universe.

God's invitation to us is to let go of ourselves as the center and allow Jesus to be our center.  With that, we inherit his identity - an identity with the humility necessary to consider others more than ourselves, an identity with so much love for others that he would save them no matter what it cost him.

Join me today in considering the questions below.  Let's see how God leads us the rest of the week.

• Am I sensitive to the Lord's leading as it relates to the interests of others?
• What patterns of reflection, prayer and action might I establish to open up my life as an outlet for God's blessing toward others?